What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

After Christmas Thoughts, Sales and Thrifty Finds

I really feel like I should post something and not still have that "Merry Christmas" post on top. It's still pretty Christmas-y around here - I don't take my decorations down until after New Year's. In fact, I "may" have even added a few things since the after Christmas sales.  Well, actually only one thing.
I spotted this Chick-fil-A at Lowe's when they very first put out the Christmas items this year, but the $49.99 price tag set me back.  No way, Jose.  So, I waited.  The last time I was there, they were all gone except the one on display.  Yet, I waited.  Then they marked them 50% off, but $25.00 was still more than I felt comfortable spending.  So, I waited.  Finally, Monday it was 75% off.  But wait.  It was the display and the front door was missing.  The clerk marked it to $10.00.  SOLD!  When I got home, I discovered the front door had just fallen inside.  A drop of glue, the door is installed and I have myself a $50.00 Chick-fil-A for $10.00.  (We looooooooooooooooooooove Chickfila.  Maybe even too much.  Slurp.)

Let's see what else have I thrifted lately? Oh, The Bean bought a couple strands of Mardi Gras beads.  You see those at every thrift you go to so that is hardly worth mentioning.

Or is it?  Ha.  Aren't they hilarious.  We saw a guy wearing some like these at the Mardi Gras parade once and he said, "You don't even want to know what I paid for these things!"  Well, we only paid $3.00, so I want everyone to know!  

I found this lone Gurley Candle today for 25¢.  I've never seen one like this, so it was a happy addition.

A set of wooden clock ornaments for 50¢.  I have a lot of clocks and time related items on my big tree, so I may add these to it.  
I bought this book at Goodwill last week for $5.00 and it might quite possibly be my very best find ever.  

It's a thick book and it is chock full of housewares and gifts from 1956.  It's like all of our dream thrifting finds all bound into one book.  
This page for instance has five things on it that I own and one of my dream finds.  I have several of the thermos bottles, the Skotch Kooler and the picnic basket.  I want that dreamy PINK Coleman jug! (Original price...$4.95).
Wooden crib with decals.......yes, please.
How about this awesom retro mixer with all the cool attachments?  A steal at $45.75 compared to today's Kitchenaid mixers.  (I wouldn't trade my Kitchenaid for anything though....)
Cosco stools and tables in retro colors?  I have that yellow stool and that red three tiered table too.

Christmas?  Large Blowmold Carolers.....$7.50.  Where's my time machine?

Vintage toys of all varieties.  Do you know that the original Cootie game was only $3.00????

I have been reading this book like a novel.  It is so much fun and I am learning more about the things I love to find.  I'll share more later - including MINK COATS for thousands of dollars stuck in the middle of the five and six dollar items.  Who on earth could afford that??????

So, what have YOU found?  Any after Christmas loot?  No more for me until it hits 75-90% off and then I only like to buy food and paper goods.  At least, that's what I TRY to limit myself too.  :)

***I Googled the book and found a 1954 edition on Amazon for.......$434.00!  Holy Moley!

8 comments:

  1. OH! OH! I.HAVE.THAT.COOTIE.GAME!!!
    Always L.O.V.E.D. it when I was little, and have kept it all these years - have never, ever, seen another in all my junking travels - an prior to this, nobody else had ever heard of it before!! Thank you for confirming that I'm not from some foreign planet 8-)!!!!
    I LOVE that book 8-)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS MISS SHARA!

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  2. That book would make me SO happy! What a wonderful find. Now if you could only order from it and at those prices.
    Have a Happy New Year!

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  3. That book is AMAZING! I had to go look right away on Ebay to see if they had any, but they don't. Darn! I think it would maybe get me into trouble though. I'd probably start more collections!
    Happy New Year!
    Carol

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  4. Score on the Chick-fil-A store...cute! But be still my heart for that book! Oh my that is awesome. I hope you keep sharing pages from it, what a find!! Oh and the Bean's 'beads' are a hoot! Happy New Year! I'm waiting for 75% or more off before shopping!

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  5. My lord that book is an amazing find!

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  6. Was it Eddie that said you find the coolest stuff - I want to come down to Arkansas sometime and see for myself these places you go to. Love the beads and the book.

    sveltSTUFF - my family had a cootie game when we were growing up too - there were four of us kids that used to play it!

    all the best for the new year!

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  7. That book is beyond amazing. I hope one of two things: that either I never find one, or that I find two. If I found one, I know I'd want to keep it but think that I'd better sell it.

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  8. Loved your post today Shara. I am a cashier at Chick-fil-a and I love my job. Great find at $10. And yes, It's my pleasure!
    That book is so cool. That is an awesome find. And the pages are IN COLOR.
    Happy New Year!

    Debra

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